He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital. In addition to the Wu-Tang Clan and his solo releases, RZA was also a founding member of the rap group Gravediggaz where he used the name The Rzarector.
He has made cameos in several movies including Coffee and Cigarettes, American Gangster, Gospel Hill, Life Is Hot in Cracktown, Ghost Dog, Funny People, Repo Men. About.com named him 3rd on their list of best hip hop producers of all time
Born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York, RZA spent time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a child, where his father had a convenience store in the Hill District.[1] A young RZA also spent many years living in North Carolina with his uncle. RZA began his hip hop career in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a member of the trio Force of the Imperial Master (which subsequently became known as the All in Together Now Crew after they had a successful underground single of that name). The group consisted of future Wu-Tang members and his cousins GZA (then known as the Genius) and Ol' Dirty Bastard (then known as Ason Unique, the Specialist, and the Professor).
Once this local band dissolved, both he and the GZA attempted to kick start solo careers. With the help of GZA's friend (then owner of Jamaica Records) they both secured single deals with album options at successful labels, GZA going to Cold Chillin and RZA to Tommy Boy. GZA ultimately released the Words from the Genius album, but RZA's stint at Tommy Boy ended with only the 1991 EP Ooh I Love You Rakeem to show for it when he went to jail soon after its release. GZA's album flopped, and the two cousins became determined to conquer the hip hop industry on their own terms. Throughout most of his youth he enjoyed watching various kung-fu movies and purchasing countless albums which he would later sample in most of his music
Must Be Bobby
Rza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bo-bby..
Bo-bby.. Bo-bby.. Bo-bby..
Bo-bby.. Bo-bby.. Bo-bby.. Bo-bby..
[RZA]
Psssh. Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo! {*Bobby Digital sound*}
Yo.. Bobby
Yo, yo, RZA Bobby
b-Bobby, yo
Hit the bodega for a 40 ounce son, Garcia Vega
Two bags of chips, and one pack of Now & Laters
Flame tucked down to my nuts, on my last buck
Only thing keep a nigga calm is a good fuck
Loose-leaf cigarettes be dipped in wet
Chicken of the seas get trapped inside my net
with their clothes off, son when the gun goes off
I'm bound to play Napoleon, and blow a nose off -
your Sphinx; your stumble rap style, your flow's off
like Kunta, tryin to run with his chopped toes off
Unchallenged sword I yield the storm rider
Clip full of ruffled-tip fast-actin long fire
Four hundred grain cartridge, with steel casin
Those who can't draw the crowd is still tracin
The mic is cast to the floor and shapeshifted
Heavy as the hammer of Thor you can't lift it
So tense, bitch there's no defense
This four-four inch'll make you jump the fence
Right eye squinted; I speak brok-len english
Stumble off the cold four-oh of Olde English Wu brew
Two-two inside the shoe
No describin what this heat, in my jacket could do
I teach, seeds to read, never reach for the weed indeed
Bow down to the great Bob Digi Digi
(Bo-bby..) Yo, it must be Bobby
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be Bobby
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be Bobby
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be..
I (?) rice soaked in coconut milk mixed with tofu
Sit in the sun six hours then I charge up like Goku
Dragonball Z; imagine you're raggin me
That's like walkin through a Blood hood flaggin a see
Not, tryin to tell you how much weight we carry
It may get, every snake in the tri-state buried
Plus, Feds had one add, sayin I gun traffed
I sold twenty million records bitch; some laugh!
Fresh shafts of morning dew on Nancy Drew
Sherlock Holmes crime sleuth couldn't figure the Wu
You loaf of bread head, keep a sober head
One point five million years my overhead
(Bo-bby..) Yo, yo, it must be Bobby
(Bo-bby..) Yo, yo, it must be Bobby
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be Bobby
(Bo-bby..) Yo, check, yo
I keep MC's puzzled keep my dogs in the muzzle
Ice cold forty ounce drink 'em down with one guzzle
Son might spit a word at a bird, see if she chirp back
Tall chocolate deluxe buttercup, off the meat rack
A chickenhead scratch the yard for worms
And roosters walk around with their heads in the perm
I be spreadin knowledge keepin my third eye polished
Never, chase for dollars to fulfill the black wallet
You must be Bellevue son I walk with twelve jewels
Afford anything this world could sell you
Beats that the change the style'll rearrange ya
BZA-Bobby! I'm strikin you like Beatlemania
Yo, it must be Bobby
Oh, no, it must be Bobby
Yo, son, it must be Bobby
BZA-buh, BZA-wha', BZA-Bobby
(Bo-bby..) Fuckin up the mic is still my hobby
(Bo-bby..) F-fuckin up the mic is still my hobby
(Bo-bby..) Yo, yo, it must be.. doo doo!
(Bo-bby..) Yeah yeah
(Bo-bby..) - {*repeat to fade*}
In RZA's song Must Be Bobby, the lyrics tell a story of a day in the life of Bobby Digital. The song follows Bobby to the bodega where he buys a 40 oz, some Garcia Vegas, Now & Laters, and two bags of chips with his last buck. Despite being in dire financial straits, Bobby manages to remain calm thanks to the satisfaction of a good sexual experience. The lyrics then touch on Bobby's illegal activities, referencing cigarettes dipped in wet and trapping Chicken of the Seas. Bobby even boasts about his accuracy with a firearm, likening himself to Napoleon.
The lyrics then become more surreal as he references Dragonball Z and Nancy Drew while reminding listeners of his status as a multi-platinum selling artist. The song culminates in a series of boasts about his rapping abilities, including keeping MCs "puzzled" and "fucking up the mic" being his hobby.
Overall, the lyrics to Must Be Bobby paint a vivid picture of the lifestyle and mindset of Bobby Digital, a character created by RZA.
Line by Line Meaning
Hit the bodega for a 40 ounce son, Garcia Vega
I visited the corner store to purchase a bottle of 40 oz beer and a Garcia Vega cigar.
Two bags of chips, and one pack of Now & Laters
I also purchased two bags of chips and a pack of Now & Later candies.
Flame tucked down to my nuts, on my last buck
I am carrying a hidden weapon, and I am completely broke.
Only thing keep a nigga calm is a good fuck
The only thing that can keep me calm and relaxed is sexual intercourse.
Loose-leaf cigarettes be dipped in wet
I dip my loose-leaf cigarettes in a liquid substance.
Chicken of the seas get trapped inside my net
I catch something like fish or shrimp from the sea.
with their clothes off, son when the gun goes off
When I shoot my gun, the target will be naked.
I'm bound to play Napoleon, and blow a nose off -
I am determined to act like Napoleon and shoot someone's nose off.
your Sphinx; your stumble rap style, your flow's off
Your rap style and your flow are not up to par.
like Kunta, tryin to run with his chopped toes off
Similar to Kunta from Roots trying to run with his chopped off toes, you are struggling.
Unchallenged sword I yield the storm rider
My sword is unquestionably powerful, and I am skilled at using it.
Clip full of ruffled-tip fast-actin long fire
My ammunition clip is full of fast-acting bullets.
Four hundred grain cartridge, with steel casin
The bullet fired from my gun is made from a heavy material and contained in a steel case.
Those who can't draw the crowd is still tracin
People who can't draw a crowd are still copying others' work.
The mic is cast to the floor and shapeshifted
I metaphorically transform and shape the microphone.
Heavy as the hammer of Thor you can't lift it
The microphone is incredibly heavy, and you cannot lift it.
So tense, bitch there's no defense
I am incredibly tense and focused, and you have no way to defend against me.
This four-four inch'll make you jump the fence
My firearm will make you run away quickly to avoid getting shot.
Right eye squinted; I speak brok-len english
I have a squint in my right eye and speak in broken English.
Stumble off the cold four-oh of Olde English Wu brew
I have consumed Olde English beer and am feeling the effects.
Two-two inside the shoe
I am carrying a small firearm inside my shoe.
No describin what this heat, in my jacket could do
Words cannot express what my hidden weapon in my jacket could do.
I teach, seeds to read, never reach for the weed indeed
I teach young people to read and discourage them from using drugs like marijuana.
Bow down to the great Bob Digi Digi
Show respect to me, also known as Bob Digi Digi.
(Bo-bby..) Yo, it must be Bobby
My name is Bobby, and people recognize me immediately upon seeing me.
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be Bobby
People are certain that I am Bobby when they see me.
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be Bobby
People are certain that I am Bobby when they see me.
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be..
When people see me, they immediately know that I am Bobby.
I (?) rice soaked in coconut milk mixed with tofu
I ate rice soaked in coconut milk with tofu.
Sit in the sun six hours then I charge up like Goku
I sat in the sun for six hours and feel energized like the Dragon Ball Z character, Goku.
Dragonball Z; imagine you're raggin me
I am a powerful force, like a Dragon Ball Z character, and it's unlikely that anyone would mess with me.
That's like walkin through a Blood hood flaggin a see
Pushing me is similar to walking around in a Blood neighborhood waving a blue shirt, which is the color of their rival gang, the Crips.
Not, tryin to tell you how much weight we carry
I'm not trying to brag about how powerful we are.
It may get, every snake in the tri-state buried
If someone pushes me too far, there will be a lot of people who are hurt.
Plus, Feds had one add, sayin I gun traffed
The government once accused me of trafficking firearms.
I sold twenty million records bitch; some laugh!
Despite the accusation against me, I have still sold 20 million records and can laugh off the accusation.
Fresh shafts of morning dew on Nancy Drew
I see myself as youthful and fresh, like the character Nancy Drew.
Sherlock Holmes crime sleuth couldn't figure the Wu
Even a detective as skilled as Sherlock Holmes would not be able to completely understand the Wu-Tang Clan.
You loaf of bread head, keep a sober head
You are slow and unwise, but you need to remain calm and steady.
One point five million years my overhead
I have been working and gaining experience for 1.5 million years.
(Bo-bby..) Yo, yo, it must be Bobby
When people see me, they immediately know that I am Bobby.
(Bo-bby..) Yo, yo, it must be Bobby
When people see me, they immediately know that I am Bobby.
(Bo-bby..) Oh, no, it must be Bobby
People are certain that I am Bobby when they see me.
(Bo-bby..) Yo, check, yo
Listen up and pay attention.
I keep MC's puzzled keep my dogs in the muzzle
I confuse other rappers and keep my enemies restrained.
Ice cold forty ounce drink 'em down with one guzzle
I can chug a 40 oz beer in one gulp and enjoy doing so.
Son might spit a word at a bird, see if she chirp back
I may speak to a woman in a flirtatious way and see if she responds.
Tall chocolate deluxe buttercup, off the meat rack
I am tall, dark-skinned, and attractive, similar to a rare and desirable food item.
A chickenhead scratch the yard for worms
A woman who is desperate for attention will go to extreme measures to get it.
And roosters walk around with their heads in the perm
Men who think highly of themselves are actually foolish and ridiculous.
I be spreadin knowledge keepin my third eye polished
I make it a priority to spread knowledge and keep my spiritual senses sharp.
Never, chase for dollars to fulfill the black wallet
I am not materialistic and do not focus on earning money to make my wallet black.
You must be Bellevue son I walk with twelve jewels
You must be crazy if you think you can keep up with me. I walk with twelve valuable items to prove my status.
Afford anything this world could sell you
I am wealthy and can afford to buy anything I want.
Beats that the change the style'll rearrange ya
My music is so powerful that it can change and rearrange your style.
BZA-Bobby! I'm strikin you like Beatlemania
My name is BZA-Bobby, and my impact on you is similar to the massive frenzy and impact created by The Beatles.
Fuckin up the mic is still my hobby
I still enjoy creating music and performing on the microphone.
F-fuckin up the mic is still my hobby
I still enjoy creating music and performing on the microphone.
Yo, yo, it must be.. doo doo!
People immediately know that it's me, indicated by the sound effect.
Yeah yeah
An expression of agreement or confirmation.
(Bo-bby..) - {*repeat to fade*}
Repetition of the chorus ending the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBERT F. DIGGS, RONALD MAURICE BEAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind